Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

‡FORLEET, v. Also fore-, for(e)teit, forlet(e), ¶forlied. Pa.t. forleet(it); pa.p. forleeted, forleitet; forleet (Sc. 1862 G. Henderson Matthew xxvii. 46), -lied.

1. To forsake, desert, leave behind (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Knr. 1920; Fif. 1953).Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 133:
Ilk button that his finger seeks As if forleitet by its steeks Upon the flure down drappit.Sc. 1837 Wilson's Tales of the Borders IV. 35:
“And like a lyon lap,” as if he would have foreleeted Lightfute himself.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxviii.:
The wratch wha pledges his heart an' han' to a young kimmer an' syne forleits her.Sc. 1871 P. H. Waddell Psalms xxxvii. 25:
Bot the righteous forlied, or his bairns seekin bread, I ne'er saw.Sc. 1951 Scots Mag. (Feb.) 410:
Syne like a fair-forleetit bairn She wannered oot o' ken.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 47:
And syne
I ran, wad tine
that greetin
o things forleeten
i the muckle dairk ... Fif. 1991 John Brewster in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 165:
Gin forleitin wan's wife cuid cry God
Wid no thousans be libbit?

†2. To forget (Sc. 1776 D. Herd Sc. Songs II. 251, Gl.; Ayr. 1825 Jam.).Rnf. 1813 E. Picken Poems I. 60:
I'll ne'er forleet, how frae my crown The vera bluid came rappin' down.